Children work in rat-hole coal mines in India

By Ammu Kannampilly / AFP, RYMBAI, India

After decades of unregulated mining, the state is due to enforce its first-ever mining policy later this year. The draft legislation instructs mine owners not to employ children, but it does allow rat-hole mining to continue.

“As long as they allow rat-hole mining, children will always be employed in these mines, because they are small enough to crawl inside,” Lyngdoh said.

Accidents and quiet burials are commonplace, with years of uncontrolled drilling making the rat-holes unstable and liable to collapse at any moment.

Gopal Rai, who lives with seven other miners in a 2.5m by 3m tarpaulin-covered bamboo and metal shack, compensation is rarely, if ever, paid to injured children.